Apparatus for the intermittent transport of workpieces, especially for the feeding of wrappers, labels, or the like in wrapping machines



Sept. 7, 1965 H. LESCH 3,204,756

APPARATUS FOR THE INTERMITTENT TRANSPORT OF WORKPIECES, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FEEDING OF WRAPPERS, LABELS, OR THE LIKE IN WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Dec. 11, 1962 e Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 7, 1965 H. LESCH 3,204,756

APPARATUS FOR THE INTERMITTENT TRANSPORT OF WORKPIECES, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FEEDING OF WRAPPERS, LABELS, OR THE LIKE IN WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Dec. 11, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2

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APPARATUS FOR THE INTERMITTENT TRANSPORT 0F WORKPIECES, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FEEDING 0F WRAPPERS, LABELS, OR THE LIKE IN WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Dec. 11, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 7, 1965 H. LESCH 3, 0

APPARATUS FOR THE INTERMITTENT TRANSPORT 0F WORKPIECES, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FEEDING 0F WRAPPERS, LABELS, OR THE LIKE IN WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Dec. 11, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 7, 1965 H. LEscH 3,204,755

APPARATUS FOR THE INTERMITTENT TRANSPORT OF WORKPIECES, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FEEDING OF WRAPPERS, LABELS, OR THE LIKE IN WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Dec. 11, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 lilililiil l l l Jn van/0r:

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Sept. 7, 1965 H. LESCH APPARATUS FOR THE INTERMITTENT TRANSPORT OF WORKPIECES, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FEEDING OF WRAPPERS, LABELS, OR THE LIKE IN WRAPPING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 11, 1962 United States Patent APPTUS FOR THE ENTETTENT TRANS- PGR'l-i 0F WORKPIECES, ESPECIALLY FDR THE FEEDING 0F WRAPPERS, LABELS, OR THE LIKE IN WRAPPING MACHENES Hans Lesch, Hannover, Germany, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Otto Hansel G.m.b.H., Hannover, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Dec. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 243,894 Claims. (Cl. 198179) The present invention relates to an apparatus for the intermittent transport of workpieces, especially for feeding pieces of wrapping material, labels, or the like in wrapping machines.

It is of particular advantage to use the apparatus in chocolate-bar packing machines to form layers of different wrapping material pieces, labels, pictures, or the like which are placed in superposed position on the choclate bar to be wrapped, in a manner such that the latter can be completely packed in a following packing machine. The same apparatus may also be used for different other purposes, where workpieces have to be passed along several operating stations or where workpieces have to be received and discharged again at another station in a certain position, as for instance in feeding apparatus of printing machines. As compared with the known machines, the present invention provides for a wide range of variations of the number of workpieces to be handled or of the length of the rest periods necessary in the different stations.

It is one object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the intermittent transport of workpieces, especially for the feeding of wrappers, labels, or the like in wrapping machines, wherein trucks or slides are used gliding in a guide and having a holding device, as for instance a clamp or the like, the truck each having a slot arranged transverse to the direction of travel. Furthermore, attachments for the trucks or slides are used which rotate in transport sections arranged one behind the other, the attachments being fitted to one or more endless conveyor members passing over at least two guide members, as for instance rollers, which form a rest station for the trucks and rotating in opposite directions in a manner, so that the attachment of the conveyor member advancing towards the rest station which engages in a slot leaves the latter during its passage over the associated guide member to stop the truck until the attachment of the following conveyor member moving away from the rest station enters the slot of the same truck to take the latter along, the length of the rest period being determined by the spacing of the attachments on the two conveyor members cooperating with the same truck in the rest station, and by known control devices arranged in the rest station for opening and closing the workpiece holder, as well as devices for machining, or accepting and transferring the workpiece.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the intermittent transport of workpieces, especially for the feeding of wrappers, labels, or the like in wrapping machines, wherein the two conveyor members forming a rest station consist of independent conveyor chains, ropes, or the like provided with attachments for the trucks. It is also possible to form the conveyor members forming a rest station of a single conveyor chain, a rope of the like guided and reversed accordingly. In this case, the attachments for the trucks are formed of rollers arranged outside the longitudinal center axis of the chain.

The length of the rest period may be adjusted by variation of the truck attachments on the conveyor member and/ or by variation of the operating speed of the conveyor members.

3,204,755 Patented Sept. 7, 1965 It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the intermittent transport of workpieces, especially for the feeding of wrappers, labels, or the like in wrapping machines, wherein for greater safety, the rest station includes an arresting device engaging the truck, slide, or the like which is driven by the guide member associated with the rest station. The arresting device may be coupled to the control device for the opening and closing of the clamp provided on the truck for holding the workpiece.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the intermittent transport of workpieces, especially for the feeding of wrappers, labels, or the like in wrapping machines, wherein for machining big or wide workpieces, two conveyor devices of the type described above may be provided which operate in synchronism and are arranged parallel to each other, their trucks or slides conveniently being rigidly connected with each other.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the intermittent transport of workpieces, especially for the feeding of wrappers, labels, or the like in wrapping machines, wherein, in order to accommodate the conveyor device, two shells are provided, which house the conveyor members and face each other with their open sides, the flange of which at the same time forms the guide for the trucks, slides, or the like carrying the workpiece holders.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational View of the apparatus, with the front wall of the housing being removed and the different elements of the apparatus being shown diagrammatically;

FIG. 2 is a section along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus according to FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are fragmentary views of another embodiment of the apparatus, shown at an enlarged scale; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are fragmentary views of a third embodiment of the present apparatus.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 to 3, the complete apparatus comprises a housing formed of two shells 1 and 2 fixed in a bracket 3 with their open sides facing each other and forming flanges 4. A groove 5 is cut in the flange 4 of each of the shells 1 and 2 to form guides. The grooves 5 in the shells 1 and 2 are exactly in line and parallel with each other. Trucks 6 are guided by means of rollers 7 in the grooves 5. As can be seen, a greater number of trucks 6 spaced apart from each other is provided. Each of the trucks 6 has a slot 8 directed towards the inside, i.e. at right angles to the guide grooves 5. The slot 8 receives rollers 9, referred to below.

Each truck 6 is equipped with an arm 10 projecting out of the shells 1 and 2, and each of the arms 10 is provided with a clamp 11 and 12 to seize and hold a workpiece 13.

For the intermittent advance of the trucks 6, which also may be designed in the form of sliding carriers, the shells 1 and 2 accommodate a conveyor chain arrangement which comprises several successive transport sections A and B. It is to be understood that a greater number of these transport sections may be provided, if necessary. Rest stations are provided at the end of each transport station, where the trucks 6 remain stationary for a period of time, as may be necessary.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, two conveyor chains 14 and 14' are provided rotating in the direction of the arrow X. The chains pass over guide rollers 15m 24 and 15' to 21'. Each chain unit. incorporates a tension roller 25 to 25' journalled on a swivel arm 27 or 27 which is subjected to the action of a tension spring 26 and 26, respectively. Both chains 14 and 14' have a number of rollers 9 and 9' and operate on levels which are displaced relative to each other as can be seen from FIG. 2. The chain 14 is accommodated in the shell 1 and the chain 14 in the shell 2. Accordingly, the chain rollers 15 to 24 are journalled in the shell 1, while the chain rollers 15' to 21' are journalled in the shell 2.

Both chains 14 and 14 are driven by a motor (not shown). The motor can drive both chains at the same speed, or a separate motor is provided for each of the chains, so that the latter can rotate at different speeds.

Before describing the apparatus in detail, operation of the chains 14 and 14' and trucks 6 is described:

As described above, two guide rollers 15 and 16 and 15' and 16 form a rest station between them. In the arrangement according to FIG. 1, three rest stations R R and R are provided above the transport sections A and B. The direction of travel oi the workpieces 13 is indicated by the arrow X in FIG. 1.

The conveyor chain 14 passes, in the direction of the arrow, over the guide rollers 15 into the rest station R The roller 9 on the chain 14 has supplied, by entering the slot 8 of the truck 6, the latter into the rest station R When the chain 14 passes from the guide roller 15 to the opposite guide roller 16', it leaves, together with its roller 9, the slot 8. The truck 6 therefore remains stationary so that the clamp 11 and 12 can be opened and the workpiece 13 introduced. Only when the roller 9' on the conveyor chain 14' enters the slot 8 of the truck 6 from below, i.e. over the guide roller 16, the truck 6 is advanced further. Now, the chain 14' pulls the truck 6 and the workpiece 13 in the direction of the arrow X, along the upper horizontal groove to the rest station R the sprocket 15' in downward direction to the sprocket 17'. During this movement, the roller 9' leaves the slot 8 of the truck 6 which now stops at the rest station R At this moment, the clamp 11 and 12 can be opened and another workpiece 13 put in, or the workpiece 13 may be printed on or otherwise machined, because it is in its rest position. Only when the roller 9 on the chain 14 passes over the sprocket 16' and from below into the slot 8 of the now stationary truck 6, the latter is further advanced through the transport section B to the rest sation R Here, the chain 14 with the roller 9 runs over the sprocket 15 and leaves the slot 8. The truck 6 stops again, so that another operation can be carried out on the workpiece 13,or it can be transferred to other machines. After completing the machining operation, a roller 9' on the chain 14 enters, ove the sprocket 16', the slot 8 of the truck 6 to return the empty truck over the lower part of the groove 5 into its initial position. As soon as, during the passage of the chain 14' over the guide roller 21', the roller 9 has'left the slot 8, the truck 6 can be taken along by means of the roller 9 on the chain 14 coming in over the sprocket 21 to be taken to the rest station R in the upper part of the groove 5, where a new workpiece 13 is introduced.

It is to be understood that by adjusting the operating speed of the diiferent chains accordingly, and/or by varying the spacing of the rollers 9 and 9 on the chains 14 and 14', an infinite adjustment of the transport speeds and of the rest times can be obtained, in order to adapt the apparatus to varying operating requirements.

To hold the trucks 6 in the rest station, an additional arresting device is provided. It comprises a vertical push-rod 31 guided in a housing part 30 and having a transverse member 32. A recess 33 is provided on the arm carrying the clamp 11 and 12 to receive, from below, a part 34 projecting from the transverse member 32.

Here, the chain 14 passes over Associated with each rest station is an arresting device. One of the guide rollers 15 and 16' having a cam groove 35 moves by means of a roller 36 and a rocker arm 37 the push-rod 31 up and down which carries the transverse member 32 of the'arresting device. As soon as a truck 6 has arrived at a rest station the push-rod 31 is moved upwards, and the part 34 enters from below the recess 33 provided on the truck 6. At the same time, this movement of the push-rod 31 is utilized to open the clamp 11 and 12 on the truck 6. This is achieved such that during the upward movement the transverse member 32 abuts against the upper clamp part 12 from below which is pivotable about an axis 38, whereby the clamp 11 and 12 is opened against the action of a compression spring 39.

At the same time, resilient butter means 40 are provided on the transverse member 32, the burrer means bearing against a workpiece 13 held by the clamp 11 and 12, to press the workpiece 13 against a surface 41 to secure it in its position during the inoperative position of the clamp 11 and 12.

Upon downward movement of the push-rod 31, the transverse member 32 in its truck 6 is released and the clamp 11 and 12 is closed. Furthermore, the butter means 40 release the workpiece, so that it can be advanced.

FIG. 3 shows diagrammatically the use of the apparatus in accordance with the present invention for the transport of foils or of pieces of wrapping material to a packing station.

The foil 42 is supplied from the side of the rest station R By means of a pair of scissors 43, a piece 13a is severed from the foil and fed into the clamp 11 and 12. The piece 13a, as for instance a metal foil, is advanced to the rest station R Here, the clamp 12 is opened as described before, and a shim 1311, a picture for instance, is taken from a pile 44 and fed into the clamp 11 and 12 of the truck 6. From the other side, a label 13c from a pile 45 is added. When the truck 6 leaves the rest station R its clamp 11 and 12 holds a pack of pieces, i.e. a wrapping foil 13a, a picture 13b, and a label 130.

In the rest station R the wrappers are released. The pack 13a to 130 is pushed across a chocolate bar 47 located on a Vertically movable stamp 46 (FIG. 1), the different pieces being already in correct position for packing. An upper stamp 48 is lowered onto the bar 47-and the wrappers on top of it, whereupon both stamps, together with the chocolate bar and the wrappers are passed in usual manner through a folding tunnel (not shown) in which the wrappers are folded around the chocolate bar to be packed. As soon as the wrappers 13a to 130 have left the open clamp 11 and 12, the truck 6 is advanced further.

While in the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3 two conveyor chains 14 and 14 arranged one behind the other are employed, the arrangement according to FIGS. 4 and 5 uses a single chain 50, provided with attachments or roller brackets 51 and rollers 52. The rollers 52 are outside the plane of the chain and move in a path 53 indicated in dotted lines which is outside the reach of the conveyor chain 50. To guide the chain, rollers 54 and 55 and 56 and 57 are provided which together form a rest station. The rollers 54 and 55 are spaced so that the path 53 of the rollers 52 meets again between the guide rollers 54 and 55 the center axis of the slot 8 in the truck 6 passing through this point of contact.

In this case, the rest period is limited by the time necessary for the roller 52 to leave the slot 8 and to reenter after it has passed, together with the chain 50, over the rollers 56 and 57. To vary the rest period, the spacing of the roller brackets 51 on the chain 50 may be varied.

Another embodiment of the apparatus is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Here, two chains 60 and 61 are used which form a rest station between them. They leave, however, a certain space between their rollers 62.

To transfer the trucks 6 from the chain 60 to the next chain 61 or vice versa, during the return movement, cranks 63 and 63' are provided, journalled on shafts 64 and 64 and rotating in the direction of the arrows. Each of these cranks 63 and 63' has a roller 65 and 65, respectively, the radii of the cranks 63 and 63' being dimensioned, so that the crank circle touches the pitch line of the chain 60 and 61, respectively.

As soon as a truck 6 has arrived at the rest station and the corresponding roller 62 leaves the slot 8 of the truck, the crank 63 with its roller 65 enters the slots of the stationary truck 6. During rotation of the crank, the truck 6 is taken along into the position indicated in dotted lines. As soon as the rollers 62 leave again the slot 8, the roller 62 on the following conveyor chain 61 can enter the slot and take over the truck 6.

It is to be understood that it is also possible to impart, in the manner shown here, and during the rest period, a further additional movement to the truck 6, for instance to move the truck forward and back for an additional pivotal movement of the workpiece held in the clamp, or for any other movement necessary for any machining operation. In this case, the transfer members arranged between the chains must be designed accordingly.

While I have disclosed several embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that these embodiments are given by example only and not in a lirniting sense, the scope of the present invention being determined by the objects and the claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for the intermittent transport of workpieces particularly wrapping material, labels, or the like comprising a bracket,

2. housing secured to said bracket and including two shells having an open side, said shells being disposed substantially parallel relative to each other and said open sides thereof facing each other,

each of said shells having a longitudinal groove,

a plurality of trucks guided by and movable along said grooves,

each of said trucks including a workpiece holder and defining a slot disposed transversely to the direction of movement of said trucks,

sprockets mounted in said shells to form guide members,

at least one conveyor member passing over said sprockets and having an attachment disposed in succession relative to each other and received in said slot of said trucks during movement of the latter by said conveyor member and removed from said slot to form a rest station for said trucks, until the attachment of a following one of said conveyor members enters the slot of said corresponding of said trucks to join the latter with the movement of said conveyor members,

said attachments being-spaced apart on said conveyor members for a predetermined length, in order to vary the duration of said rest period,

means disposed in said rest stations for opening said workpiece holder, and including means for supporting said workpiece during the open position of said workpiece holder,

said conveyor members forming said rest station comprises at least one conveyor chain, and

said attachments for said trucks comprise rollers received in said slots of said trucks.

2. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said attachments project laterally from said conveyor members and move along a path returning to the same point so that the movement of said attachment from said point to the return to said point determines the resting period of said truck, and

the slot of the corresponding of said trucks has a longitudinal center axis which passes through the engaging point of said pitch circles.

3. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, which includes an arresting device,

said arresting device includes a push rod comprising means for arresting said workpiece during the opening period of said workpiece holder.

4. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, which includes an additional operating means provided in said rest station to impart an additional movement to the corresponding of said trucks during its period of nonmovement by means of said attachment.

5. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said trucks has two rollers moving in said respective grooves of said shells and, thereby moving said workpiece holder.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,775,029 9/30 Hippenmeyer 198-135 2,277,309 3/ 42 Doll 198-19 2,430,878 11/47 Kimball 198-19 3,125,204 3/ 64 Loven 198-19 FOREIGN PATENTS 477,155 9/51 Canada.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM B. LA BORDE, Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR THE INTERMITTENT TRANSPORT OF WORKPIECES PARTICULARLY WRAPPING MATERIAL, LABELS OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A BRACKET, A HOUSING SECURED TO SAID BRACKET AND INCLUDING TWO SHELLS HAVING AN OPEN SIDE, SAID SHELLS BEING DISPOSED SUBTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER AND SAID OPEN SIDES THEREOF FACING EACH OTHER, EACH OF SAID SHELLS HAVING A LONGITUDINAL GROOVE, A PLURALITY OF TRUCKS GUIDED BY AND MOVABLE ALONG SAID GROOVES, EACH OF SAID TRUCKS INCLUDING A WORKPIECE HOLDER AND DEFINING A SLOT DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY TO THE DIRECTION OKF MOVEMENT OF SAID TRUCKS, SPROCKETS MOUNTED IN SAID SHELLS TO FORM GUIDE MEMBERS, AT LEAST ONE CONVEYOR MEMBER PASSIGN OVER SAID SPROCKETS AND HAVING AN ATTACHMENT DISPOSED IN SCUCESSION RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER AND RECEIVED IN SAID SLOT OF SAID TRUCKS DURIGN MOVEMENT OF THE LATTER BY SAID CONVEYOR MEMBER AND REMOVED FROM SAID SLOT TO FORM A REST STATION FOR SAID TRUCKS, UNTIL THE ATTACHMENT OF A FOLLOWING ONE OF SAID CONVEYOR MEMBERS ENTERS THE SLOT OF SAID CORRESPONDING OF SIAD TRUCKS TO JOIN THE LATTER WITH THE MOVEMENT OF SAID CONVEYOR MEMBERS, SAID ATTACHMENTS BEING SPACED APART ON SAID CONVEYOR MEMBERS FOR A PREDETERMINED LENGTH, IN ORDER TO VARY THE DURATION OF SAID REST PERIOOD, MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID REST STATIONS FOR OPENING SAID WORKPIECE HOLDER, AND INCLUDING MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID WORKPIECE DURING THE OPEN POSITION OF SAID WORKPIECE HOLDER, SIAD CONVEYOR MEMBES FORMING SAID REST STATION COMPRISES AT LEAST ONE CONVEYOR CHAIN, AND SAID ATTACHMENTS FOR SAID TRUCKS COMPRISE ROLLERS RECEIVED IN SAID SLOTS OF SAID TRUCKS. 